Bihar legislator arrested in Nepal

Patna, Nov 10 (IANS) A Bihar legislator has been arrested in Nepal over his alleged involvement in the abduction of a Nepali businessman, police said Saturday.

Lok Janshakti Party MLA Zakir Anwar alias Zakir Mian was arrested in Nepal's Jhapa town late Friday in connection with the abduction of Tulsiram Agrawal nearly a decade ago from Nepal's Biratnagar town.

According to police officials here, Zakir was wanted by the Nepal Police in connection with various criminal cases lodged against him in that country.

A few months ago, the Nepal Police had handed over a list of most wanted criminals in Nepal of Indian origin to Bihar authorities, and Zakir figured in that list, an police official said.

An official of the home department said Nepal Police had informed it about Zakir's arrest.

Agrawal, a 40-year-old Nepali businessman of Indian origin, was abducted in January 2002 from Biratnagar, the biggest industrial town of Nepal, about five km from the Indian border town of Jogbani in Araria, Bihar.

The businessman was released after his family allegedly paid a ransom of Rs.five crore.

Earlier, the Nepal Police had arrested gangster Pappu Dev in connection with the abduction of Agrawal. Dev is currently lodged in a jail in Nepal.